Snapshots taken beyond The Glass
by Sakurau121
Summary: A continuation of conversations between the team, mainly concerning DI Tony Myerscough and DCI Natalie Hobbs (wink wink). If you hate fluff, run, run now! For those still here, enjoy. In the story, the team disband but amongst all the confusion, could something good actually come out of their last case together? Read on to see...


Sometime after the 'Harrow' Case:

What happens to Duffy?

That was the question, wasn't it, really, when all was said and done.

But Vanessa couldn't help but feel disappointed by the answer she was given, even though she'd expected it.

_The team will disband. DCI Hobbs has been informed naturally. We have yet to deliberate the particulars, but you should be told soon about your position. We cannot tell you at this stage about Duffy's situation, as he is part of an ongoing investigation, but we may ask for your cooperation in the future for further questioning concerning DC Duffy. _

Under usual circumstances, Warren knew they wouldn't have pushed so hard, but their team, being what it was… She knew the pains the guv had gone through to get them together, and here they were, a mere blink of an eye had passed it felt like, and yet they had nothing to show for it.

Well, that wasn't quite true, thought Vanessa as she left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. They'd had a good run. But it could have been so much more.

It should have been so much more.

She tried to ignore the erratic drumming in her heart. It wasn't nervousness from just coming out of a meeting wondering whether she was going to be demoted. It was frustration, bitterness, maybe even anger.

And anger can make you blind if you're not careful. Vanessa was ignorant of the man currently hurtling towards her, which meant the inevitable collision could not be avoided. Vanessa stepped back, frustrated. She really didn't need this right now.

"I'm sorry I didn't see you there-"

Vanessa didn't need to look up to know who it was. No doubt he wore an expression far more horrified than her own.

"Vanessa!" said DI Tony Myerscough, his horn-rimmed glasses not doing much to hide the shock in his eyes. Somehow their effect was less potent than they were outside the interview room.

"Did you- did you just come out?" he stammered as he lifted his glasses with his index finger.

Vanessa grinned in response. She hadn't seen him all week, but she recognized the fatigued eyes; she'd found herself staring into similar ones every morning by the mirror. Ever since what happened with Duffy…

"Yeah," she grunted as she moved aside, a fellow DC pushing past them, it was a busy morning. "I spoke to him."

"And?" continued Myerscough, a bit of nervousness slipping into his voice as he furrowed his eyebrows. He really was neurotic, underneath all that cool temper, his worry lines gave it all away.

Mind you, this was a stressful job.

No, not a job. A choice.

Vanessa shrugged.

"Nothing much, it was as we expected, the team's over, but I guess you knew that already."

Tony looked down, his mouth set in a grim line.

"It's a shame," said Vanessa, continuing as she said stared at him. "She put so much work into all this."

"They'll let her stay," muttered Tony in response, surprising Warren. "She's too good for this place, they'd be idiots to not give her a second chance."

Vanessa raised her eyebrows.

"Have you been questioned already?"

"Yes," replied Tony, lifting his head, the florescent lights reflecting briefly against his lenses. "I talked to them."

His tone was deceptively calm and passive, but Vanessa knew better. She felt the same anger she currently felt inside simmering beneath his voice. Except with Tony you never knew just how far down it went. It's what made him better than most. He was like a crocodile, silent, waiting patiently just beneath the water, seemingly benign, just waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

"Hello Tony! Have you seen Hobbs recently, I've been meaning to speak to her?" said a passing DC, forcing some tension to ease as the DI in question turned around in response, giving a fumbling answer before turning towards Vanessa again, the usual awkwardness returning to his posture.

"I guess you didn't like their questions either then," said Warren bluntly, and the sharpness returned swiftly to Tony's gaze.

"That's one way of putting it," he replied, his voice stiff. "Ultimately Hugo will get through this, I believe that, but this is to do with him, not the team. Certainly not Na- the guv."

"A team which no longer exists," said Vanessa darkly as she turned to lean against the wall. "No tape, so we were lucky. But regardless of whether she knew or not, ultimately it is her team. Nat was more sad than angry, to be honest, which is rare for her."

"They won't move her, she's one of a kind-"

"Have you seen her recently?"

Warren's question had the effect she had been anticipating.

She knew Tony had turned to stare at her. He knew they weren't talking about the team anymore.

"So?" continued Vanessa, her voice turning pleasant, noting his lack of response. "What happened last week, after the interview?"

He didn't reply immediately, but Warren had come to expect that. When it came to Hobbs, he said next to nothing. For a team selected specifically because of their observational skills, Vanessa still found it rather ironic that she was the only one who'd figured out why Tony found it hard to keep eye contact with, strangely, only the guv.

At first, she'd found it amusing. As the months had passed however, she started to find it more than a little depressing.

Tony let out a staggered sigh and gripped hold of the folder in his hand, crumpling some of the papers as he did so. Vanessa folded her arms as she continued to watch him, leaning the heel of her shoe against the wall. She was the most patient of all of them.

But still, one can only have so much patience.

"I don't-" said Tony, finally, still standing in the middle of the corridor as if he were trapped. He grimaced, lifting his feet up and down in frustration before continuing. "It didn't pan out."

Vanessa nodded slowly, and when she didn't reply immediately, it was Tony's turn to look up, expecting an answer.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said finally, and she meant it. "You know, I met her yesterday. She was asking for you. Said she'd been trying to get a hold of you."

Tony blinked and then looked down again, but not before Vanessa caught the darkness in his gaze.

Well, something had happened there. Still, she wasn't one to pry too much.

But in the case of Tony, a little pushing was perhaps warranted.

Especially as Nat had not been any easier either; she hadn't given her a crumb yesterday.

Still, she'd become rattled the minute Tony's name had been brought up. Notably not Paul's.

It was something. Enough, in Vanessa's mind anyway, to say what she was about to say.

"Listen, Tony, I don't know what's gone on, but I can't imagine it's anything too catastrophic," she began, lowering her voice as someone passed them, before turning towards him slowly. "It's only been some time. There's a lot on her mind right now, you know that, so just give it a bit of time. But don't do what you do with me. Close up. You know what she's like. People don't know really unless you spit it out to them-"

"Yes, alright Vanessa!" said Tony, his voice louder than he had anticipated apparently, as they both reacted to it echo right down the hallway, several heads turning towards their general direction.

Vanessa stared at Tony as he turned towards her again with an apologetic look on his face.

"Sorry," he muttered, lifting the rim of his glasses again as he did so. "Stressful week."

"Yeah, I gathered that," said Vanessa, her tone returning to its usual blunt manner. "And you?"

"What?"

Warren enjoyed the confused look on his face. God, he really was a mess today.

"What's happening with you? They won't say anything about anyone else."

"Oh," replied Tony, clearly relieved at the change of subject. "I'm staying. They're actually considering a possible move up, after the Edgar Fallon case."

"Tony, that's brilliant!" said Warren, giving him a bewildered look. Most would have mentioned that a little earlier, but Tony had always been the modest type. Vanessa liked that about him.

Sometimes though maybe a little too modest for her taste.

"And you, what's happening with you?"

Vanessa heaved a sigh. Her turn to think dark thoughts.

"I don't know," she sighed, putting her hands on her hips. "They won't tell me what will happen next, maybe a transfer, but that's to be expected. We were brought here for this, well, most of us, so I wouldn't be surprised. But it's ok. I'll figure it out."

Tony grinned, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Well, I can always pop a good word in for you-"

"Ah, now we don't like favouritism here, do we now," said Vanessa coyly, interrupting him. They'd spoken too long anyway, she had places to be. "Perhaps next time I see you, it will be DCI Myerscough, hey?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," said Tony in reply as Warren turned away and began to walk down the corridor.

She knew he'd probably turned too, thinking that was the end of it.

But she couldn't help herself from torturing him a little more. Came with the job description, she supposed.

"Tony!" she said, looking back as she raised her voice so she knew he couldn't miss it. "Talk to her!"

Heads turned, as expected, including Tony's. He looked like positively mortified. Perfect.

"And it's not about the coffee!"

Vanessa didn't wait to get a reply. She knew her job was done.

Author's note: Tis a work of fiction so please forgive any inaccuracies!


End file.
